Will Atherton, shares dog training tips on TikTok (@iamwillatherton) where he has more than 900,000 followers. What he says about dangerous dogs matches that of Nathan Winograd and other genuine dog experts.
Leadership is Love - Will Atherton
It is not about the breed but about strong leadership from the owner and proper training as any breed or non-purebred dog can be dangerous with the larger dogs being able to inflict greater damage. Size counts in that respect but the underlying issue will not be about breeds but human behaviour.
Incidentally, the same story relates to domestic cats. Many years ago I wrote an essay about cat behaviour and said it comes down to human behaviour! It sounds wrong and strange but read the essay and see what you think: Essay on Cat Behavior – Michael Broad (pictures-of-cats.org)
Will Atherton, shares dog training tips on TikTok (@iamwillatherton). Screenshot from one of his videos. I can't find the one where he gives advice about dangerous dog breeds and poor training. |
He says, "When I get asked this question all the time, of 'what is the most dangerous breed?', yes there might be a few different breeds I could give the answer to, but the reality is that the most dangerous breed is the one that hasn't been trained properly. The one that doesn't have a loving leader in its life, able to navigate and direct it through life safely."
Will said any dog can be dangerous, be it small or big. He continued: "All dogs have the ability to bite. All dogs have the ability to be dangerous. Yes, the bigger and stronger they are, the harm that they can cause is more significant. But the reality is, if you don't train your dog properly, you could very well have a dangerous dog - no matter whether it's a chihuahua, all the way up to an English mastiff."
Some dog breeds get a bad press and some get bad owners. The American XL Bully has been allegedly trained by irresponsible people to be aggressive. They want the dog to be aggressive. The founder of the XL Bully insists that the breed was not meant to be aggressive and it is the fault of individuals not the dog itself.
I was bitten by a Scottie, a small dog because the owner walking the dog was not in control as a pack leader should be.
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